Malawi turn up for their second appearance at the African Nations Cup as the competition's rank outsiders.

Drawn in Group A they will be registering a major shock if they can make it to the second round coming up against first round rivals World Cup qualifiers Algeria, hosts Angola, and Mali.

But the team, who just scrape in to FIFA's top 100 at number 99, arrive in Angola on the back of some favourable warm up performances, including a win against Mozambique and a draw agaisnt fellow Cup qualifiers Egypt.

Malawi, whose World Cup qualifying campaign was marred by tragedy when 19 fans were killed in a stadium stampede in a tie against Ivory Coast in Abidjan last March, made their Cup debut in 1984 when they failed to negotiate the first round.

In another incident on the road to Angola there was an outbreak of fan violence after Kenya defeated them in July last year.

They open against Algeria next Monday, followed by Angola on January 14 and then Mali four days later.

The Malawi squad is peppered with players based in South Africa, including Orlando Pirates midfielder Joseph Kamwendo and skipper Peter Mponda, a defender with Black Leopards.

Top scorer with a six goal haul in their qualifying campaign was Chiukepo Msowoya, a striker with Mozambique side Desportivo Malculmana.